There is no corruption in Singapore...

Seatrium to pay $168m to Brazilian authorities, $73m to Singapore authorities to settle corruption case​

With this announcement, Seatrium said that Singapore authorities have concluded their joint investigations into potential offences.

With this announcement, Seatrium said that Singapore authorities have concluded their joint investigations into potential offences.

Jul 30, 2025

SINGAPORE - Offshore and marine specialist Seatrium said it has signed a leniency agreement with the authorities in Brazil in relation to a long-running corruption probe, known as Operation Car Wash.

It made the announcement on July 30, a day before the company is due to release its earnings for the first half of the 2025 financial year.

Under the terms of the leniency agreements with Brazil’s public prosecutor’s office and other authorities, Seatrium will pay a final settlement of around $168.4 million.

It was also required to pay a penalty of US$110 million (S$141.7 million) to Singapore authorities, under a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) entered with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) in Singapore.

However, the AGC has agreed for up to a maximum of US$53 million of the payment to the Brazilian authorities to be credited against the financial penalty here. As such, the amount payable by Seatrium under the DPA will be US$57 million (S$73.3 million).

The DPA, signed on July 30 with Singapore authorities, is subject to approval by the Singapore High Court.

With this announcement, Seatrium said that the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Singapore police’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) have concluded their joint investigations into potential offences.

“No action will be taken against the company and/or its officers,” Seatrium said.

Seatrium shares fell 1.3 per cent, or three cents, to $2.35 as at the midday trading break on July 30, after the announcement.

This is after the company lifted a trading halt around 11.20am that it had called for before the market opened earlier.

Seatrium, which was then Sembcorp Marine, became implicated in Operation Car Wash, a major corruption scandal in Brazil, which involved allegations of paying bribes to secure contracts.

The company said in its July 30 statement that it has made provisions in its financial statements for the in-principle settlement payment and financial penalty.

“Following the finalised agreements with the Brazilian and Singapore authorities, the company has reversed a provision of $14 million in its financial statements for the financial period ended June 30 to take into account the finalised settlement payment and financial penalty, current exchange rates and other expenses,” it said.

“There is therefore no material impact on the net earnings and net tangible asset per share of the group for the financial year ending Dec 31.”

Seatrium added that it is “keen to move forward” and to ride on the energy market tailwinds to create transformative offshore energy solutions globally and ultimately deliver long-term sustainable growth.

“The company wishes to emphasise that it remains committed to the highest standards of corporate governance and business integrity, including zero-tolerance for fraud, bribery and corruption,” it said.

It added that it has put robust policies and procedures in place to instill the highest standards of discipline, ethics, and compliance across its global operations.
 

Jail for cop who pocketed $4,000 entrusted to him, misused police computer system​

Chan Zhiyao  was sentenced to 16 months’ jail.


Chan Zhiyao was sentenced to 16 months’ jail.

Apr 14, 2025

SINGAPORE – When a woman told a police officer that her former boyfriend was pressing her to transfer money to him, the officer asked her to send him the money instead.

Chan Zhiyao, 44, who was a senior investigation officer at the time, said it was “police procedure” and that he would send the $4,000 she transferred to him, to her former boyfriend directly.

Instead, Chan kept it for himself and spent almost all of it in two days.

On April 14, Chan was sentenced to 16 months’ jail after pleading guilty to criminal breach of trust and a charge under the Official Secrets Act for misusing his workplace computer system.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Cheah Wenjie said Chan was an inspector and a senior investigation officer (IO) in the Singapore Police Force (SPF) at the time of his offences.

In 2022, a woman, who was not named in court, filed a police report that she had been molested by her former boyfriend. Chan was assigned as the IO on this case.

During the investigations, the woman told Chan that her former boyfriend had transferred $4,000 to her and wanted it back.

Chan lied that it was “police procedure” for her to transfer the $4,000 to him, and he would transfer the money to her former boyfriend. He then pocketed the money.

His offence came to light when the former boyfriend filed a complaint against Chan about not receiving the money.


Chan contacted the woman and told her to lie to his colleague that she had not transferred to him any money. Trusting his position as a police officer, she lied while making a police statement, but later came clean after consulting her family.

Chan then admitted he had received the money, noting that he had intended to return it but was too overwhelmed with work to do so.

Separately, Chan misused an SPF computer system in 2020 to screen an individual, who was not named in court, and obtain a police report number pertaining to this person.

He then gave the police report number to someone else despite having no authority to do so.

Seeking a jail term of 17 to 20 months, DPP Cheah said that as a senior police officer of about two decades, his offences ought to merit a stern deterrent sentence.

Urging the court for not more than 10 months’ jail for Chan, defence lawyer Noelle Teoh said her client had a long and unblemished career as a police officer before his offences.


Addressing his criminal breach of trust charge, she said: “There was no premeditation or planning on (Chan’s) part, nor was there any sophistication involved in the commission of the offence.

“His actions were impulsive, driven by a moment of rashness and greed, rather than any deliberate intention.”

In response to queries, SPF said on April 15 that it will commence internal action against Chan, who has since been interdicted from duty.

“Officers of the SPF are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity. We deal sternly with officers who break the law, including charging them in court,” added the police spokesman.
 

Jail and more than $2.4m in penalty for ex-director at zoo who took bribes over 11 years​


Barry Chong Peng Wee was also ordered to pay a penalty of over $2.4 million.

Barry Chong Peng Wee was also ordered to pay a penalty of over $2.4 million.

Apr 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – The former facilities management director at the Singapore Zoological Gardens was sentenced to six years’ jail on April 25 after obtaining more than $2.4 million in bribes between 2005 and 2016.

Barry Chong Peng Wee, whom the prosecution described as the “central orchestrator” of the graft offences, was also ordered to pay a penalty of over $2.4 million.

He will spend an additional six years, seven months and 13 days behind bars if he fails to pay the amount.

Chong, 58, who is no longer working for the zoo, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of graft in February.

On April 25, Principal District Judge Toh Han Li noted that Chong was the main receiver of the bribes and that he committed the offences over a long period of time.

The money was from multiple people, including employees of companies that performed works for the gardens, now known as the Singapore Zoo.

Chong used his ill-gotten gains to buy items such as cars, clothes, luxury watches and bags.
At the time, the zoo was a subsidiary of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS).

Now known as the Mandai Wildlife Group, WRS suffered a loss of more than $2.4 million as a result of inflated invoices submitted under the corrupt arrangements, according to court documents.

The prosecution said Chong’s offences were linked to multiple firms, including Shin Yong Construction (SYC), Thiam Lee Tradings Construction, KK Iron Engineering, Katana Engineering, Hong Power Engineering and KKS Engineering.

Each company was awarded jobs worth between $14,300 and over $10.5 million. The court heard that SYC was awarded jobs involving the largest sums of money.

Multiple individuals linked to most of the companies were dealt with in court earlier.

Deputy public prosecutors Kelvin Chong, Shamini Joseph and Darren Sim had stated in court documents that SYC was set up by the late Mr Toh Siang Bee and WRS was its main client.

Some time before 2005, Mr Toh, his son Too Say Kiong, and Chong entered into an arrangement to award WRS jobs to SYC in exchange for “monetary commissions”.

When Mr Toh died, another one of his sons, Toh Say Yong, took his place in SYC in 2005.

The two sons and Chong continued to commit graft.

In 2024, Too, then 57, was sentenced to two years and two months’ jail, and his elder brother, then 69, was sentenced to a year and 10 months’ jail.

Under the corrupt plan, Chong would send the specifications of each project to Too and tell him to bid at a specific price to ensure that SYC secure the contract.

Too would clear with his brother an amount to give to Chong as commission and prepare inflated invoices or quotations at the prices Chong had specified.

The brothers also asked other contractors to submit bids that were slightly higher than SYC’s to ensure that WRS award the jobs to the company.

The quotations WRS received were then passed to Chong, who would generally award the jobs to the lowest quotes.

In late 2013 or early 2014, Chong and Too agreed to look for other contractors to take part in the corrupt arrangement.

The prosecution said Too approached representatives from Thiam Lee and Katana, telling them WRS would award jobs to the firms in exchange for money.

Court documents stated that the representatives agreed to be part of the plan.

Some time around 2010 to 2011, Toh Say Yong’s son, Toh Yong Soon, started working for SYC. He continued with the corrupt arrangements after taking over the firm’s operations from Too in late 2015.

Toh Yong Soon, then 39, was sentenced to three years and three months’ jail in May 2024.

On April 25, the prosecution urged the court to sentence Chong to up to six years and six months’ jail, adding that his offences were premeditated.

Pleading for a lighter sentence, defence lawyer Mervyn Tan said that his client is “quite advanced in age”.

The lawyer also said that Chong will be appealing against his sentence. He was then offered bail of $300,000.
 

Ex-diplomat who filmed nude boy in Tokyo bath stripped of Govt medals​

Christopher Sim Siong Chye was a counsellor at the Singapore Embassy in Japan when he committed the offences.

Christopher Sim Siong Chye was a counsellor at the Singapore Embassy in Japan when he committed the offences.

Apr 30, 2025

SINGAPORE – A former diplomat, who was convicted in 2024 after secretly filming a boy at a public bath in Tokyo, has been stripped of two medals awarded by the Singapore government.

Christopher Sim Siong Chye, who was

sacked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on April 2

, was stripped of his Covid-19 Resilience medal on April 14 and Long Service medal on April 22.


Both forfeitures were announced in the Government Gazette.


Sim, 56, was a counsellor – a diplomatic rank for experienced foreign service officers – at the Singapore Embassy in Japan when he committed the offences there.

On Feb 27, 2024, he was caught using a smartphone to film an undressed male teenager in the men’s changing room of a public bath.

A search of his phone found footage of the boy in the nude, as well as footage of multiple male customers that seemed to have been taken in the bath’s communal changing room.

Japanese national broadcaster NHK reported that the boy was a junior high school student aged 13.

Sim admitted to investigators then that he also took such photos at other public baths.

When he was caught, at least 700 images taken over a six-month period were found on his phone.


He deleted the images on the spot.

The Japanese police were unable to detain him then as he had immunity from prosecution as a diplomat.

In mid-April 2024, he returned to Singapore after completing his tour of duty.

On May 2 that year, MFA said it was prepared to waive his diplomatic immunity to facilitate investigations by the Japanese authorities.

Sim was suspended from duty to assist in investigations.


Days later, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department made a request to the Singapore Embassy through Japan’s Foreign Ministry to get Sim to return to the country.

He returned to Japan on June 9, 2024, and was questioned by the Japanese authorities, reported the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

He was quoted as saying that he had done so out of remorse and of his own will.

He was later fined 300,000 yen (S$2,744) for trespassing the bathhouse and violating the Tokyo government’s ordinance for public disturbances.

A career diplomat, Sim is also a published author. He wrote a book about his travels across several countries between 1995 and 2004.

He joined MFA in 1993, according to a 2011 publication by the Public Service Division.
 

The 2023 crony-capitalism index​

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May 2nd 2023

Over the past 20 years, Britain’s capital was so welcoming to oligarchs that it became known as “Londongrad”. Many bought mansions from Highgate to Hyde Park; a couple bought into football clubs. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, 48 oligarchs were placed under Western sanctions. The immense wealth of many of Vladimir Putin’s associates highlights the problem of crony capitalism and why more should be done to combat it.

20230506_IRC014.png


According to the latest instalment of our crony-capitalism index, which first estimated how much plutocrats profit from rent-seeking industries almost a decade ago, crony capitalists’ wealth has risen from $315bn, or 1% of global gdp, 25 years ago to $3trn or nearly 3% of global gdp now (see chart 1). Some 65% of the increase has come from America, China, India and Russia. Overall 40% of crony-capitalist wealth derives from autocratic countries and amounts to 9% of their gdp. There are hundreds of billionaires around the world whose riches are largely believed to derive from sectors which often feature chummy dealings with the state.

The way we estimate all this is to start with data from Forbes. The magazine has published an annual stock-take of the world’s wealthy for nearly four decades. In 1998 it reckoned that there were 209 billionaires with a total worth of $1trn, equivalent to 3% of global gdp. This year the publication details 2,640 billionaires worth $12trn or 12% of gdp. Most of those listed do not operate in rent-seeking sectors. Adjusting for rising prices—$1bn in 1998 is now equivalent to $3.3bn—there are 877 billionaires (at 1998 prices) with a collective worth of $9trn.

We classify the source of wealth into rent-seeking and non-rent-seeking sectors. An economic rent is the surplus remaining once capital and labour have been paid which, with perfect competition, tends towards zero. Rent-seeking is common in sectors close to the state, including banking, construction, property and natural resources. It can sometimes be possible for rent-seekers to inflate their earnings by gaining favourable access to land, licences and resources. They may form cartels to limit competition or lobby the government for cosy regulations. They may bend rules, but do not typically break them.

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Russia is, once again, the most crony-capitalist country in our index (see chart 2). Billionaire wealth from crony sectors amounts to 19% of gdp. The effects of the Ukrainian war are clear, however. Crony wealth declined from $456bn in 2021 to $387bn this year. Only one-fifth of Russian billionaires’ wealth is derived from non-crony sectors, which shows just how distorted the economy is.

In March last year, the g7, the eu and Australia launched the Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs (repo) Task Force to “isolate and exert unprecedented pressure on sanctioned Russian individuals”. A year later it announced that it had blocked or frozen $58bn of assets. But repo admits that in some cases oligarchs have found it easy to evade sanctions by using shell companies, passing assets to family members or investing in property. Wealth is increasingly stored in manicured lawns and marble columns.

Pressure on the oligarchs comes from Russia, too. In March Mr Putin chastised them for becoming “dependent on foreign authorities” by hiding their assets offshore. Mr Putin is a hypocrite. By one estimate he has stolen more than $100bn from Russia—which has helped pay for a compound on the Black Sea estimated to cost $1.4bn and a $700m yacht impounded by the Italian authorities last year. But he is not on the Forbes billionaires’ list.

Our index illuminates other trends among the mega-wealthy. Many of America’s 735 billionaires have been hit by the crash in tech stocks last year; three-fifths of global tech-billionaire wealth originates there. The country’s nasdaq composite, a tech-tilted index, lost about a third of its value between November 2021 and December 2022. We reckon American tech billionaires saw their riches decline by 18%.

Overall crony-sector wealth amounts to around 2% of gdp in America, whereas non-crony-sector wealth is 15%. But tech exhibits some crony characteristics. America’s 20 biggest tech companies raked in half of all the industry’s sales in 2017, making it the country’s most concentrated sector. Tech firms are among the biggest lobbyists in Washington, with eight firms collectively spending $100m last year. Reclassify tech as a crony industry in our index and America’s crony wealth increases to 6% of gdp.

Meanwhile, Chinese billionaires continue to struggle with the vagaries of their government. Since Xi Jinping launched a crackdown on private capital, crony wealth has fallen sharply, from a peak of 4.4% of gdp in 2018 to 2.5% now. Tycoons of all stripes operate only with the consent of the state. In 1998 there were just eight billionaires in the country (including Hong Kong and Macau), with a total worth of $50bn. Now its 562 billionaires command $2trn.

By our measure crony capitalists account for about one-quarter of that total. A recent working paper published by the Stone Centre on Socio-Economic Inequality, part of the City University of New York, finds that between 83% and 91% of corrupt senior officials were in the top 1% of the urban income distribution because of their illegal incomes. Without that money, just 6% would be in that bracket.

Since Mr Xi came to power in 2012 over 1.5m people have been punished in an ongoing anti-corruption drive. High-profile tycoons also face more scrutiny. When Jack Ma, a co-founder of the tech giant Alibaba, disappeared in late 2020 after criticising the authorities, he was worth nearly $50bn. He recently re-emerged worth half of what he had been. Bao Fan, a billionaire banker, was whisked away in February to help with an investigation. He has not been seen since.

Official talk of “common prosperity” has created a cottage industry for getting money out of China. Singapore is a prime destination for it. In 2019 the country had just 33 Chinese family offices—firms which manage a family’s assets. There were perhaps 750 by the end of 2022.

India’s leader, Narendra Modi, has favourites among the country’s corporate captains. Over the past decade, wealth from crony-capitalist sectors has risen from 5% to nearly 8% of its gdp. Gautam Adani, the owner of the conglomerate of the same name, was briefly the world’s third-richest person in September. But in January his company was accused of fraud and stockmarket manipulation by Hindenburg Research, an American short-seller. It denies all accusations. His wealth has fallen from $90bn to $47bn.

What happens when cronyism gets completely out of control? If elites so enrich themselves that they impoverish a country, a “kleptocracy” forms, declared Stanislav Andreski, a Polish sociologist. He warned against such regimes and their effects in the late 1960s. It has taken more than 50 years for Western countries to heed him.

Identifying kleptocracy is more art than science. Our findings correlate only somewhat to indices of democracy and corruption. And in any case, at what level does corruption destroy the functions of the state? usaid, America’s agency for international development, issued an 84-page “dekleptification” guide last year. After studying 13 countries including Brazil, Malaysia and Ukraine, it recommends breaking up corrupt monopolies and digitising ownership registries, among other important measures.

America is also trying to whip up international fervour for a crackdown. In March it hosted its second “summit for democracy”. Seventy-four countries representing two-thirds of global gdp declared that, among other things, they would work to “prevent and combat corruption”. Russia and China were understandably missing. Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa were among those less understandably so.

At the summit Janet Yellen, America’s treasury secretary, pointed out that “kleptocrats launder kickbacks through anonymous purchases of foreign real estate”. So starting next year America will require firms formed or operating in the country to reveal their real, or “beneficial”, owners. Another 36 countries have signed up to America’s declaration to make concealing identity more difficult. But transparency is not a silver bullet. Last year a new law in Britain required foreign businesses that own property assets to register themselves and disclose their true owners. A report in February by an anti-corruption watchdog found that the owners of 52,000 of the 92,000 properties subject to the new rule remained undisclosed. Shady owners skirt rules and registries often lack the resources to police them.

America also frets about “golden” visas, which sell citizenship for a chunk of cash. Five Caribbean tax havens sell passports which provide visa-free travel to around 150 countries for $100,000-150,000 each. Britain’s tier-one visa scheme, launched in 2008, gave permanent residency within five years to foreigners who could prove they had £1m ($1.25m) to invest in British bonds or shares. It closed a week before the war in Ukraine started because of fears about Russian money (talk about closing the stable door once the thoroughbred has bolted). Of the 13,777 visas issued, a fifth went to Russians (including ten to oligarchs now under sanctions), a third to Chinese.

Back in London, a warning lies in Highgate cemetery. There you can find the grave of Alexander Litvinenko, not far from oligarch mansions (and also Karl Marx’s tomb). He was murdered in 2006 by Russian agents with a dose of polonium-210 after making lurid allegations about Mr Putin’s circle. Litvinenko is buried in a specially sealed lead-lined casket to prevent radiation leaking out. Now Western authorities need to prevent hazardous assets seeping into their countries. ■
 

9 years’ jail for ex-cop on the run for nearly 17 years after obtaining $47.7k in bribes​


Koh Kian Tiong was also fined $1,000 and ordered to pay a penalty equivalent to the amount of bribes.


Koh Kian Tiong was also fined $1,000 and ordered to pay a penalty equivalent to the amount of bribes.

May 26, 2025

SINGAPORE – A former police officer was sentenced to nine years’ jail on May 26 after obtaining monetary bribes totalling $47,700 from a man linked to unlawful gambling activities.

Koh Kian Tiong, alias Mark Koh, who went on the run for almost 17 years till 2024, was also fined $1,000 and ordered to pay a penalty equivalent to the amount of bribes.

If he fails to pay the total amount of $48,700, Koh, now 52, will have to spend an additional 47 days and a week behind bars.


At the time of the offences, Koh was an assistant superintendent with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He had obtained the bribes from Chua Chin Hoe, who was then notorious for operating several illegal gambling dens across Singapore.

In exchange, Koh provided Chua with information about CID operations that could affect the latter’s criminal activities.

On May 21, Koh pleaded guilty to five counts of graft involving cash totalling $31,000 and one count of desertion under the Police Force Act.

Ten other graft charges linked to the remaining $16,700 were considered during his sentencing.

Koh obtained monetary benefits and free entertainment from Chua between January 2006 and May 2007.

Chua and several other people linked to the case were dealt with in court earlier.

Koh joined the Singapore Police Force in 1998. When he became acquainted with Chua in 2005, he was an officer with CID’s Anti-Unlicensed Money Lending Task Force, with a team of subordinates reporting to him.

Towards the end of that year, Koh was in the midst of divorce proceedings and struggling to pay his legal bills.

He approached a colleague, an officer from the Secret Societies Branch (SSB), and asked for a $15,000 loan.

When the colleague replied that he could not afford to give the loan, Koh asked him to check if Chua – referred to in court documents as “Ah Hoe” – could provide the loan instead.

In earlier proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor David Menon said: “The accused relayed this request to Ah Hoe through (the SSB officer, who) was better acquainted with Ah Hoe at the time. Ah Hoe agreed to give the accused $15,000 to cover the legal bills arising from the accused’s divorce proceedings.”

On or around Jan 21, 2006, Koh went to Geylang to collect the money from Chua. The latter gave the bribe so that Koh would show favour to him in future police-related matters. No repayment terms were discussed, and Koh did not repay the $15,000.


In September 2006, Koh reached out to Chua directly and asked for his help to settle some credit card bills. Chua handed him $16,000 later that year, and Koh did not repay the amount.

Throughout 2006, Koh also frequented various bars with Chua, who always paid for the drinks and occasionally paid the tips for hostesses and singers.

Eventually, Koh introduced Chua to at least five other police officers at CID, all of whom received free entertainment and alcohol from Chua.

Based on Chua’s bank statements, he paid at least $27,000 in entertainment expenses relating to these drinking sessions in 2006 alone.

In 2007, Koh was on leave in China when he found out that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had started an investigation into his dealings with Chua.

Fearing he would be implicated, Koh decided to remain in China. An Interpol red notice was then issued against him.

Once such a notice is issued, the police in other countries can be on the lookout for foreign offenders. The red notice can then be used to support extradition proceedings after an arrest is made.

Koh was later jailed in China over unrelated offences, the details of which were not disclosed in court documents.

Following his release from jail in China, he was sent back to Singapore and arrested at Changi Airport in April 2024.
 

More jail time for ICA officer who received cash and sex as bribes from overstayers​

Teo Hwee Peng arriving at State Courts on August 18, 2023. The ICA officer was accused of getting sexual favours  and cash as bribes from a woman.

Teo Hwee Peng was initially sentenced to two years and nine months’ jail in 2023.

May 27, 2025

SINGAPORE – An Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer who received sex and money as bribes to help two foreign sex workers remain in Singapore had his jail term increased to four years on May 27.

Teo Hwee Peng, 50, had faced 12 corruption charges over helping Chinese nationals Liang Qinglan and Cheng Wenjuan obtain special passes that allowed them to stay in the country as overstayers.

He was initially sentenced to two years and nine months’ jail in 2023, after a district judge convicted him of eight corruption charges and acquitted him of another four charges.

The prosecution appealed to the High Court against the sentence, as well as Teo’s acquittal on three charges.

Teo also appealed against his conviction and sentence.

On March 11, High Court Judge Vincent Hoong allowed the prosecution’s appeal and overturned the acquittals, which meant Teo was convicted of 11 charges instead of eight. Teo’s appeal was dismissed.

On May 27, the prosecution sought between 4½ and 5½ years’ jail for Teo.

Deputy Public Prosecutor David Menon said in sentencing arguments that Teo orchestrated a scheme for the overstayers to obtain special passes that allowed them to remain in Singapore, during which time they continued to engage in vice, “actively harming ICA’s mission to uphold Singapore’s immigration laws”.

A special pass allows a foreigner to stay in Singapore for specific purposes, such as assistance in investigations and court attendance, but does not permit the pass holder to work if he or she does not have a valid work pass.

Teo’s lawyer, Mr Vijay Kumar, said the sentence sought by the prosecution was too harsh.

He argued that Teo’s actions caused little or no harm to ICA because he alone could not decide whether a special pass would be issued.

After hearing sentencing arguments, Justice Hoong imposed a total jail term of four years for the 11 charges.

Teo was also ordered to pay a penalty of $2,634.57, which is equivalent to the amount of monetary bribes he received. If he fails to pay the sum, he will spend another three weeks in jail.

Teo, who was with the ICA’s intelligence operations branch from 2004 to 2016, was suspended from duties from Nov 25, 2020.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, ICA said it takes a zero-tolerance stance on corrupt officers, and that appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against him “in accordance with the civil service disciplinary framework”.

Ms Liang, 40, entered Singapore as a tourist on May 28, 2018, but overstayed her visa.

She was arrested on Oct 16, 2018, in a joint operation by the police and ICA, and was later granted a special pass that allowed her to remain in Singapore to assist in investigations.

Ms Liang was sentenced to 25 weeks’ jail and a fine of $8,000 in December 2021 for three counts of corruption involving Teo and a separate charge over offering sexual services online.

Ms Cheng, 32, entered Singapore on Feb 19, 2019.

She was arrested for vice activities on May 2, 2019, but did not board her repatriation flight, and was instead granted a special pass. She died by suicide on Aug 27, 2021, before Teo’s trial was held.

The prosecution accused Teo of coaching the women on what to say to ICA investigation officers in order to get a special pass.


This was intended to maximise the women’s chances of being released on a special pass upon their arrest, thus extending their stay.

The prosecution contended that Teo also arranged for the two women to get arrested by providing their particulars to his former informant, who in turn relayed the information to her current ICA handler.

Teo contested all 12 charges, nine of which involved bribes from Ms Liang between 2018 and 2019, while three involved bribes from Ms Cheng in 2019.

He claimed he had helped Ms Liang to cultivate her as an ICA informant, and that she had falsely implicated him in order to extend her stay in Singapore.

These claims were rejected by the district judge, who convicted him of all charges involving Ms Liang, except one, which he was acquitted of due to insufficient evidence.

The district judge also acquitted Teo of the three charges involving Ms Cheng.

To prove its case during the trial, the prosecution had relied on Ms Cheng’s statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, as well as Ms Liang’s evidence on Ms Cheng’s dealings with Teo.

The district judge deemed Ms Liang’s evidence to be hearsay, and placed little weight on Ms Cheng’s statements on the basis that she was not in court to be questioned.

At the first appeal hearing on March 11, the prosecution argued that Ms Liang’s evidence was not hearsay, and that insufficient weight had been placed on Ms Cheng’s statements.

Justice Hoong agreed, and reversed the lower court’s decision to acquit Teo of the charges involving Ms Cheng.
 
The corruption and greed is legalised by law which is possible because there is no effective check and balance. Nowhere is this more obvious than politicians' pay. A minister takes only 2-3 hours to earn the average monthly salary of a S'porean worker. The annual salary of a minister is enough to feed the average S'porean family for a lifetime.
 
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